Postage-stamp-book cabinet.



PATENTED FEB. 6, 1906.

J. P. MCDONALD POSTAGE STAMP BOOK CABINET.

ATTORNEYS UNI ED srarns PATENT OFFICE.

POSTAGE-STAIVlH-BOOK CABINET.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 6, 1906.

Application filed June 20, 1905. Serial No. 266,195.

To a, whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH P. MQDONALD, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have made certain new and useful Improvements in Postage-Stamp Cabinets, of which the following is a specification.

My improved cabinet or holder for postagestamps is distinguished by certain novel features of construction, arrangement, and combination of parts, as hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view or the cabinet closed, and Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the cabinet open.

Broadly stated, the cabinet is so constructed that it comprises a rigid box-like base or under portion having a drawer and slides and an upper folding portion having stiff leaves, which are hinged and adapted to fold together and lie upon and be secured to the base.

In the drawings, A indicates the wooden box-like base portion having rigid parallel sides 1 and a rigid back 2, having a forwardly-projecting top flange 3. A drawer 4 is adapted to slide in the base, it having lateral ribs that enter grooves in the sides 1. This drawer is provided with a series of pockets or compartments for holding stampbookstwenty-flve cent, forty-nine cent, ninety-seven cent. Above the drawer 4 are arranged two stiff or rigid slides 5, which also slide in grooves in the side pieces 1 and are spaced apart, so that they are adapted to hold or support stamps in bulk, preferably denominations of one and two cents. The capacity of the cabinet will be ordinarily such that from ten dollars to twenty dollars worth, or even more, of such stamps may be supported on the slides. The top or cover 0 ofthe cabinet is made of duly thick rigid material and hinged at 6 to the forward extension or flange 3 of the back. Between this folding cover C and the rigid sides 1 of the base A is arranged a series of semirigid leaves B, which are made of successively-decreasing length from the top down and hinged to the narrow strips 7, which are of correspondingly increased width from the bottom up. Screwbolts 8, provided with nuts 9, pass through the back strips 7 and also through a rigid strip 10, that rests upon the forward extension or flange 3, whereby the parts are secured together. The front edges of most of the leaves B are cut away stepwise and marked with numerals to indicate the denominations of stamps placed between the leaves. I place between the leaves all stamps above ones and twos, including the ratestamps. The capacity of this portion of the cabinet is such that a large number of stam s may be placed between them, and thus held flat and securely, yet readily accessible when wanted.

It will be seen that since the hinge 6 of the cover 0 is in rear of or set back from the hinge of the upper leaf and since the hinges of succeeding leaves are similarly arranged the cover may be opened and laid back and the leaves also raised and thrown back, so as to expose the stamps to view and render them easily accessible in a way which would not be possible if the said parts were hinged in the same vertical plane.

A metal clasp 11 is hinged to the base-plate or bottom of part A and its free end bent inward and otherwise constructed to adapt it to engage the cover C. Thus the clasp is adapted to hold the slidable parts 4 and 5 in lace and also secure the cover C upon the eaves B, as shown in Fig. 1.

The cover 0 may be covered with linen and the joint between it and the flange a formed of the same material, and the hinges of all the leaves B may be similarly constructed.

I thus provide a portable stamp-cabinet adapted to preserve stamps in good order and easily accessible for counting or removal. The cabinet is particularly adapted for the use of postal clerks, stamp-clerks, and others who reserve, handle, or sell the stamps.

What I claim is 1. The improved postage-stamp cabinet, comprising a box-like base portion having a slidable drawer and plates arranged over the same and all spaced apart vertically, and a foldable portion comprising a series of stiff leaves and fixed back strips to which the same are hinged, the said strips being gradu-' ally increased in width from the top downward, the leaves being correspondingly increased in length from the bottom upward,

and a rigid cover hinged to the back of the I adapted to engage the cover whereby it sebase portion in rear of the upper foldable -cures the latter upon the leaves and holds the 10 I leaves, substantially as described. slidable parts in place, as shown and de- 2. The improved postage-stamp cabinet scribed.

comprising the box-like base portion having JOSEPH P. MCDONALD.

slidable holders for stamps, a superimposed Witnesses:

series of hinged foldable leaves, and a stiff WM. G. BROWN,

cover, and the clasp 11 hinged to the base and HENRY E. KAUFMANN. 

